Église Saint-Éphrem-le-Syriaque, Classical church in Latin Quarter, Paris, France

The Église Saint-Éphrem-le-Syriaque is set back from 17 Rue des Carmes behind a light tan stone facade. Its portal imitates that of Bernini's Saint-André du Quirinal: a round-arched relief of figures above a projecting ledge, a wooden double door with triangular pediment, and flanking columns with carved capitals. Inside, a flat paneled ceiling covers a hall with a circular chandelier, a grand piano, and rows of wooden chairs on a red carpet.

The present church is the third chapel on the site. Around 1334 André Ghini, bishop of Arras, turned his Parisian residence into the Collège des Lombards for Italian students; two Irish priests bought it in 1677 and built a second chapel around 1685. The current building was completed in 1738 by architect Pierre Boscry. Religious activity ceased in 1825, and the City of Paris assigned the church in 1925 to the Syrian Catholic Mission in France.

This church serves as the main gathering place for Paris's Syriac Catholic community, where Eastern Christian traditions are maintained through regular worship. Visitors can sense how the space brings together people who share these distinct religious and cultural practices.

The church sits in the heart of the 5th arrondissement on Rue des Carmes and is accessible by public transport. Access is primarily during religious services, so checking opening hours ahead of your visit ensures you can view the interior.

The facade's portal is a copy of Bernini's design for Sant'Andrea al Quirinale in Rome, a detail easy to miss on the recessed Rue des Carmes frontage. The building was classified as a monument historique in 1992.